Soap dish



Jan. 2, 1945. G. N. NELSON 2,366,421

SOAP DISH- Filed May 5, 1944 6- i g r A k INVENTOR 7 George N Ale/son byrod members 8.

Patented Jan. 2, 1945 U N 1 TE 1) STAT E S PATEN T F Fl C E "soar msn ZGeorge Iii Nelson, Martinez, Calif. Application May 1944, Serial No.534,260 4 Claims. (01. 45-28):

- This invention is concerned with improvements in. soap dishes or racksand particularly with a device for supporting the soap so that it driesquickly and the under surface does not become gummy due to waterabsorption. r

Another object of the present invention is. to provide a soaprack whichsupports. a cake of soap in a tilted position to drain surplus. watertherefrom while permitting ready access of air. to minimize softening ofthesoap and so reduce the extentof water erosion.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensivesoap rack fabricated from inexpensive materials such as wood, plastic orthe like.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a soap rack whichwill accommodate soap cakes of various sizes and shapes.

The inventionincludes other objects and ad vantages, some of which,together with the foregoing, will become further apparent uponconsideration of the detailed description of the soap rack of thepresent invention.

Referring to the drawing which accompanies and forms a part hereof,Figure 1 is a plan view of a preferred form of rack. Figure 2 is an endelevation of the rack shown in Figure 1, while Figure 3 is a sideelevation showing the rack in use.

Figure 4 is a modification illustrating how the principles ofconstruction of the present invention can be applied to another form ofsoap rack.

Figure 5 is an end elevation, while Figure 6 is a side elevation showingthe modified rack in use.

The rack shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 comprises a plurality of similarfiat members I, each of which is relatively thin in transverse section,as appears in Figures 1 and 2. The several members are joined together,preferably at their ends, The flat members can be separateh formed andthe rod members inserted through suitable apertures, or the flat membersand rod members can be formed integral with one another as when thestructure is made by molding of a suitable plastic material. The'overallwidth of the structure is such that it fits readily into place in usualbathroom fixtures. In the device illustrated, four flat members areutilized. This can be increased, or decreased to as few as two.

, Each of the flat support members includes terminal ends or legs 9 andl I positioned at the end of a central support section '12. In the formof provided. in the form of discs. which project on opposite sides: awayfrom. the central support section 12 whereby each. member is bilaterallysymmetrical. By providingithe: terminal ends 9 and H on the central.support section so that each of the members is symmetrical bilaterallyabout a-v plane passed through the member at a right angle tothe-longitudinal axis of the central support section 12, the soap dishcan be readilyutilized in either of two positions. For example,

'inFigure 3 the dish. is shown with a cake of soap ting more of the soapsurface to be exposed for dry g.

In Figures 4, 5 and 6 I have shown a modified device made up of aplurality of thin, flat support members generally indicated at 2|. Inthis form of device, however, the outer support members 22 are made of ashorter over-all length than intermediate members 23 of which one ormore may be present. Each of the support members 22,includes oppositeterminal ends 24 and 26 while intermediate member 23 includes terminalends 2'1 and 2B. As appears in Figure 6, the terminal ends 24 and 26 arepositioned at a slightly smaller obtuse angle to the central supportsection 29 device shown in Figure 1, the terminal ends are of member 22,while terminal ends 21 and 28 are, positioned at a slightly greaterobtuse angle. This is to permit all of the terminal ends to engage aflat support surface when they are positioned downwardly, as appears inFigure 6. Also, because terminal ends 21 and 28 are at a greater obtuseangle to their associated central support sections 3| than are the ends24 and 26, a cake of soap which has a straight side and is placed inengagement with the ends 26 will engage only these, as is apparent fromFigure 6. -If, however, an oblong cake of soap or a cake of dimini'shedsize is placed upon the support, it may be engaged only with the ends 28or with one of these and with an associated end 26. The obtuse angle ofthe several ends ensures a minimum of contact with the side of a cake ofsoap. In the form of device shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, rods 32 extendthrough the several members and join these together as a unit. However,if desired the device can be made in one piece and of a suitablematerial such as a plastic.

While I have described my invention in detail in its present preferredembodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, afterunderstanding my invention, that various changes and modifications maybe made therein without departing from the spirit thereof or scopethereof as the same is defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A soap support comprising a plurality of substantially similarsupport members, each of said members including a first leg, a secondleg and a central section joining said legs, saidlegs repectivelyextendin away from said central section at substantially the same anglebut on opposite sides thereof, each of said members being relativelynarrow in transverse section and being substantially symmetricalbilaterally on each side of a plane passed through the midpoint of saidcentral section and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis ofsaid section, and members joining said support members together in aspaced side by side relation in which the first legs on the supportmembers project upwardly to provide a support for a cake of soappositioned on said central section and the second legs project to engagea horizontal surface support and with said central section, support saidcake of soap at an acute angle to the horizontal whereby the cake, ifwet, drains and dries.

2. A soap support as in claim 1 wherein the first leg and the second legare each provided by substantially circular discs.

3. A soap support as in claim 1 wherein the first leg and the second legare each provided by continuation of the central section having the samecross-sectional configuration, said legs extending at an obtuse anglefrom said section.

4. A soap support comprising a pair of outer substantially similarsupport members, at least one intermediate support member positionedintermediate said outer members, each of said members including a firstleg, a second leg and a central section joining said legs, said legsrespectively extending away from the central section of each outermember at substantially the same obtuse angle but on opposite sidesthereof, the legs on said intermediate member each extending away fromits central section at an obtuse angle greater than said first mentionedobtuse angle, each of said members being rela- I tively narrow intransverse section and bein individually substantially symmetricalbilaterally on'each side of a plane passed through the midpoint of saidcentral section and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axisof said section, said outer members also being substantially alike, andmembers joining said support members together in a spaced side by siderelation in which the first legs on the support members project upwardlyto provide a support for a cake of soap positioned on said centralsection and the second legs project to engage a horizontal surfacesupport and, with said central section, support said cake of soap at anacute angle to the horizontal whereby the cake, if wet, drains anddries.

GEORGE N. NELSON.

